The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines contact tracing as, “the practice of identifying and monitoring individuals who may have had contact with an infectious person as a means of controlling the spread of a communicable disease. Health authorities in all these places are working hard to find the original source, or ‘patient zero,’ using what’s called contact tracing or finding all the people the patients were in contact with.” During this global COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued guidance for using contact tracing as a useful tool in the war against this virus with these key concepts:
- Trace and monitor contacts of infected people in order to notify them of their exposure.
- Support the quarantine of contacts to prevent further transmission to others.
- Expand staffing resources on all levels as manpower will be required to gather this information.
- Use digital tools for efficiency and the ability to reach more people.
To speak with a healthcare provider at Primary Medical Care Center & Urgent Care Clinic to assess any non-emergency health concerns, including suspected COVID-19 symptoms, please call (305)751-1500 for our Miami-Dade clinic or (954)289-0000 for our Broward clinic. For life-threatening emergencies, always call 911. For coronavirus updates and resources, please visit our website at www.primarymed.com.
Sources: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contact%20tracinghttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/open-america/contact6-tracing.html